Disclaimer: Okay, this is getting ridiculous! I sent my Arcanine out to retrieve my certificate but he returned empty-handed. I'm sick of not getting my certificate!

AN: Happy Holidays everyone!

"…": Characters talking

'…': Characters thinking to themselves

"…": Pokédex speaking or recounting information to trainers

(…): Extra facts about the story

((…)): My opinions

Chapter 9: Catfight in the Cafeteria Followed by Thinking

12:10 PM, May 15, 2005; Cafeteria, 9th floor, Undisclosed Location

"How'd you do on your latest mission?" Butch asked his partner James as the man wearily dropped his tray onto the table in the cafeteria.

Butch is 26 years old with short teal hair and hazel eyes. He is about five feet seven inches tall and known for his determination in never giving up in battle, even if it appears he's going to lose. He is one of the four trainers that the Master Elder has specifically instructed to go out and bring in new Pokémon and trainers to the organization.

James is also 26 years old, and has shoulder-length violet hair and emerald eyes. He is about five feet seven inches tall and is known for his smooth-talking skills with both Pokémon and humans. He is also one of the most resilient trainers, never giving up unless absolutely necessary. He, like Butch, goes out and recruits new Pokémon and trainers.

Both men, like all of the other male charges, were clothed in black jeans, black muscle tanks, and bright red jackets with a black phoenix rising from the ashes design on the front and back. They also wore black bandannas with red phoenix logos on them to keep the hair out of their faces, black fingerless gloves, and black boots. They both had four Pokéballs on their belts, but unlike other trainers four was the max they could have. Butch and James were the two top recruiting trainers and they did their jobs well.

"What do you think?" James snapped at Butch, a scowl marking his handsome features.

Butch shook his head in sympathy and took a drink of his fruit smoothie. "Know what I think?"

James looked up from where he was listlessly playing with what appeared to be a hot turkey sandwich and french fries smothered in a disgusting combination of gravy and ketchup.

When Butch got no response to his question he shrugged and continued, "I think that the Master Elder spilt us up for the sole reason that we were having more luck with the female recruits than the other two trainers are having."

James's ears perked up at the mention of the female recruits. "What do you mean, exactly?"

"Well, what I mean is…" Butch began but was interrupted when two feminine voices rang through the cafeteria. Various trainers and their significant others looked up from their meals and towards the doorway of the room. A few moments later the voices' owners marched into the room, a loud argument obviously being carried on between them.

"It is not my fault that you slept with that bastard and got yourself pregnant!" screamed a young woman with long fuchsia hair and snapping blue eyes.

The other woman recoiled a moment and screamed back, "Yeah, well, so what? At least I didn't cheat on my boyfriend with his best friend and then ended up losing their kid when she got behind the wheel drunk and crashed the car into her lover's house, killing all three of the people she had left in this world!"

The fuchsia-haired woman recoiled exactly like her companion had done a moment ago and then snapped back at the goldenrod-haired woman with garnet eyes, "You are such a bitch, Cassidy!"

"Same to you, Jessie!"

The two women stared at each other, each wishing she had the ability to shoot daggers out of her eyes and kill her rival, but neither of the wishes came true.

Butch and James blinked at the women and then turned to each other, the food in front of them temporarily forgotten.

"Who's your new partner?" James asked his best friend slowly.

"…Cassidy. Let me guess, Jessie for you?" Butch looked wearily at his friend, sympathy for both their causes shining in his hazel eyes.

James nodded slowly and winced at what he and Butch were thinking at the same time: 'Why in the hell did the Master Elder team us up with such loser partners when we were at the top of our game and getting all the female recruits that were needed for the organization?'

Jessie is about 26 years old with waist-length fuchsia hair and sparkling blue eyes. She is about five feet four inches tall and is known for her short fuse and temper. When Jessie is angered she battles with a ferocity that matches the heat of a volcano and is known for her fierce battle style and quick attacks. However, when her anger overcomes her, which is quite often, she loses every battle she partakes in.

Cassidy is also about 26 years old and like Jessie is about five feet four inches tall. She has waist-length goldenrod-colored hair and garnet eyes. She, like her rival, has a short temper but has a hint more control over it. When it is released no one wants to be in her way. She is also known for her fierce battle style but not so much for her strategy. So, for the most part, a good majority of her plans to get new recruits fail and she is often punished.

Both women wear black jeans, a black tee shirt, and a bright red jacket with the black phoenix on the front and back. Their bandannas are black with a red phoenix on them and both wear black fingerless gloves and black boots. Jessie and Cassidy both have four Pokéballs on their Pokébelts and both have a small obsession with jewelry. Jessie is often seen with a pair of dark green pearl earrings and numerous gold necklaces and bracelets while Cassidy is seen with multiple ruby red post earrings, four in her left ear and five in her right ear, along with numerous silver necklaces and bracelets.

After a few moments in which not a cricket was heard the two women gave up on trying to kill each other with their eyes and went to get their lunch, which was the same for everyone- hot turkey sandwich and french fries. However, if you were a vegetarian there was always the salad bar to serve your tastes.

Both women got their meals and, after glaring at the other people in the cafeteria, who quickly went back to eating their meals, made their way over to the table where Butch and James were currently sitting. Butch and James glanced at each other worriedly, eyes showing panic.

Jessie slammed her tray down next to James's tray and Cassidy did the same, only next to Butch's. Both then sat themselves down next to their new partners and glared across the table at each other. Butch and James looked at each other and simultaneously moved to pick up their trays and sneak away to another table but were caught red-handed.

"James, where in the hell do you think you are going?" snapped Jessie as she tore into a piece of turkey while not taking her eyes off a glaring Cassidy.

"Well…" began James but was interrupted by Cassidy, who had just taken a long drink of her chocolate-strawberry milkshake and slammed the glass back onto the table.

"Yes, my new partner-in-crime, where do you think you are going?" Cassidy snarled, her garnet eyes narrowing dangerously at Jessie across the table.

"You see…" began Butch but was cut off when the Master Elder's voice boomed out over the whole room.

"Jessie, James, Butch, Cassidy; I want to see all of you in my office; now!"

The women stopped their glaring contest and looked up to the ceiling, for once both their faces expressing the same thing- fear. Butch and James merely shrugged, used to being called to their master's office. The two men waited for their partners to get to their feet, all their meals forgotten and cold- that is, except for Cassidy's, which she had ravenously consumed, complete with relish, ketchup, blueberries, and a pickle, almost causing Butch to gag when he saw her empty the remnants of the various packages on her tray into the trash- and dumped their trays into the garbage. They then left the cafeteria and headed down the hallway, passing the training facilities where various trainers were battling one another with their Pokémon.

As James and Butch walked determinedly towards the Master Elder's office the two women didn't dare look at each other. Both were too scared thinking of what was going to happen to them… they knew that the Master Elder did not support constant bickering among his teams, along with unapproved relationships.

Cassidy unconsciously reached down and placed her hand on her still flat stomach. 'I only found out this morning that I'm a month into an unwanted pregnancy, and my bastard of a boyfriend can't even come back to get me. I mean, it was a one-night stand and he gets me pregnant, the bastard! We even used protection, too! I tell my supposed best friend and she laughs her head off at me. Then she says she's going to go and blab to the whole damn compound so of course I had to get back at her. I know she's hurt but she doesn't know that I'm hurt too…'

Jessie's gaze was unfocused as they passed by the see-through doors to the training rooms. 'Why did I laugh at Cassidy's predicament? She's no worse off than me… I mean, I cheated on my boyfriend with his best friend. Then, when my boyfriend broke off our relationship I cracked and drunk myself into high heaven, got behind the wheel of my jeep with my three-year old son Troy and crashed into his father's house, killing him, my boyfriend and Troy's father, and my lover. I can't ever forgive myself for that night… I lost my boy; my little boy…'

When after a few moments Butch and James heard nothing behind them they glanced over their shoulders and saw the two women looking away from each other, silent tears rolling down both their faces. The two men then looked at each other and asked the question plaguing their minds out loud, but softly, at the same time- "What the hell is going on with them?"